


Lycaon's Curse

by The_Plaid_Slytherin



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Just Married, M/M, Meet the Family, Werewolf Bill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-29
Updated: 2013-08-28
Packaged: 2017-12-24 23:36:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/946020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Plaid_Slytherin/pseuds/The_Plaid_Slytherin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bill and Saul have just married and have their entire life together planned out when Bill gets a call to come home for the first time in five years, forcing him to confront what he is and reveal the secret he'd been intending to keep from his new husband.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for werewolfbigbang.

Saul was humming under his breath as he worked on the air recycling system. He wasn't usually the type to hum while he worked, but he was just so damned happy. In three days, he was going to be out of this crappy job, he'd be married to the man of his dreams, and they'd be headed for the mining colony on Rhea. Saul wasn't quite sure why Bill was so set on working security on an asteroid colony, but he didn't care—if Bill wanted to do this, he'd do it. He knew Bill's ultimate dream was to buy his own ship and captain it, and for that, they needed money, and there was a lot of money in tylium mining. 

He was just finishing up when he felt arms slide around him from behind. "Hey." Bill rested his chin on Saul's shoulder and pressed his nose to his thick red hair. "You about done?"

"Almost." Saul pressed his cheek against Bill's. "You didn't shave?"

Bill drew back. "Oh. Yeah. I did." He rubbed his stubbly chin. "That's how it is with my family," he muttered. 

"Aw, don't worry. You know I like hairy guys." He turned and kissed Bill's lips, brushing his shaggy hair back from his face. "When I'm done, okay?" 

Bill's deep blue eyes crinkled with a smile. "Okay. When you're done." He gave Saul one last, lingering kiss and then let him go. 

Saul went back to work. Bill was something else. He wasn't like any partner Saul had ever had—which was a good thing. He was amazing. He always seemed to know what Saul wanted or needed, he was a fantastically skilled lover… 

He just had a few odd little quirks that Saul figured would get ironed out once they settled down. Not that they'd _talked_ about settling down—they'd talked a lot about their next few jobs and Bill's ultimate goal. Saul knew Bill had been married before and that his ex-wife had full custody of the kids. Bill didn't talk a lot about them, though, and Saul figured that was a sore spot, which was why he'd never tried to talk about them having kids themselves. He wasn't actually sure if he wanted them, if he was honest with himself, but he figured that was something he ought to talk about to his fiancé before they got married. It looked like that wasn't going to happen, though, which was fine. Saul was just as happy in space as he was on the ground and it looked like Bill was, too.

Hell, it seemed like half the time they were in port, Bill stayed on the ship, at least for a couple days of the liberty. He was always volunteering for duties aboard ship that meant he had to go back early or stay late. Saul had never quite figured out why he did that, but he supposed he was just dedicated. 

Saul finished his work and turned the system back on, bringing them back from auxiliary recycling. It would be good when he and Bill had their own ship. Bill would handle the business side of things, the cargo, the crew, and Saul would keep her running smoothly. They talked about it at night when they'd lie together in Bill's rack. It kept Saul going sometimes, when he hated working on the freighter with a boss who seemed to hate his guts, to have Bill's arms around him, Bill's voice telling him what a great mechanic he was, how he'd be able to keep their ship in the air, no matter where they were going. 

He left the engine room and headed for the bunk room, hoping to catch Bill alone. Their earlier encounter had left him flustered and he was hoping nobody else was in there to disturb him. He found Bill sitting on his bunk, looking at his phone. It was an app showing the phases of the moon and he was scrolling through them for the months ahead, muttering under his breath.

"What's that?" Saul asked. "You into astronomy?"

"What?" Bill looked confused, then looked back at his phone. "Oh, yeah." He closed the app and tossed his phone onto the shelf by his bunk. "It's not important." 

Saul sat down next to him and slid his hand up Bill's chest. "You ready?"

Bill blinked. "For what?"

"You know, that thing we were going to do… with the rings and the courthouse and everything."

"Oh! Of course I'm ready." Bill's face lit up instantly and he kissed Saul deeply, drawing him into his lap. "Should we get a head start?"

"That's actually just what I was about to ask you," Saul murmured. "I was wondering if you wanted to head down early."

Bill's eyes went wide in alarm. "Early?"

"Yeah." Saul waved his hand dismissively. "We have three days left on our contract, but we can take the pay dock, can't we? We're going to be on Rhea in three weeks; we'll make it all back, the cost of the wedding and the honeymoon and more." 

"No," Bill said dully. "Not today. Today's… Not today." 

"Okay." Saul flopped back on the bed. "We'll stay." 

"Good," Bill said, laying down beside him and slipping his hand through the gap between the buttons in Saul's coveralls, undoing a few. "We have plenty of time for this kind of stuff."

"You're right." Saul kissed him. 

Bill began stroking his hair. "This time next week we'll be on our honeymoon."

"Mmhm." 

"And this time next month, we'll be on Rhea."

"Yup." 

Bill kissed his forehead. "It'll be perfect, won't it? House, jobs, money. It'll all work out."

Saul felt his eyelids droop. Bill was right. It would be perfect. 

**

Saul was tucked in Bill's arms, as they sat on the balcony of their room, on the top floor of the Caprica Grand Hotel. The stars were out and Saul watched them sleepily as the gentle night breeze lifted his hair. 

"I love you," Bill murmured into Saul's neck. 

"Mm, love you, too."

The day had been perfect. They'd left the freighter early in the morning and had checked in before going to the courthouse. There, they'd exchanged vows and rings. Saul glanced again down at his left hand. He liked the simple titanium band, though it had been a compromise. (Saul had originally suggested silver, knowing what he did of Bill's Tauron heritage, that this was a significant metal, but Bill had been so violently against it, he'd been surprised.) 

Then, they'd gone to dinner, a long, leisurely, expensive meal. Now, they were back here, taking a break in between rounds in bed. 

It was like a dream. Saul had never thought he'd ever meet anyone, much less someone as wonderful as Bill. 

Bill took a sip of his wine. "You want to go back inside?" 

"No, I like out here," Saul murmured. "Get to see the stars, Bill. I've missed the stars." 

Bill laughed. "We see stars all the time in space."

"But this is different. There's a moon and everything."

"Yeah," Bill said softly. "You're right."

"We won't get this on Rhea."

Bill pulled away. "You having second thoughts, babe?"

"No, no, just—" He didn't have a chance to finish his thought when Bill's phone rang. Swearing under his breath, Bill stepped into the room to get it. "I don't know who's calling. _You're_ right here…"

Saul got up and followed him, wondering what had gotten his hackles raised like this. 

Bill was staring at the phone display. He muttered something in Tauron.

"Aren't you going to answer it?"

Bill gave him a cutting look before raising the phone to his ear. "What?"

There was a long pause. Bill had an exasperated look on his face as whoever it was spoke to him. "No," he said suddenly. "Didn't I say no?" He glanced at Saul, then switched to Tauron. Saul sat down on the bed. 

What was he saying? 

Bill's face remained stony throughout the phone call. Finally, he finished in Caprican. "Fine," he said. "But just for a few days." 

He hung up and tossed his phone onto the desk.

"Who was that?"

"My cousin," Bill said. "My uncle's sick. I have to go back home for a few days."

"Oh, that's too bad." Saul leaned back. "How is he?"

"It's probably not serious… My family overreacts." Bill sighed. "I'm sorry about this. We may have to push our honeymoon back…"

Saul shrugged. "I don't mind. Take as long as you have to. Family comes first." 

Bill nodded, though he didn't quite look like he agreed. "We'll just go back for as long as it takes me to take care of this." He bit his lip. "I just want you to know… my family is kind of crazy." 

Saul shrugged. "So?"

"You might not want to come." He paused. "You want to stay here?"

"Bill, we just got married and you want to go off by yourself?" 

Bill frowned, realizing he'd said the wrong thing. "We could stay down in the village. While I deal with my uncle, there's plenty you could do. It's a nice place, very touristy."

Saul's face fell. "You don't want your family to meet me?"

Bill lay down and sighed. "It's not that." He rolled over onto his side. "They're just… They're crazy."

Saul lay down beside him and slipped his arm around him. He pushed Bill's open shirt out of the way, his fingers skimming the intricate tattoos on his chest. "I'm sure they're not that crazy," he said. "They produced you, after all."

Bill snorted. "There's a lot you don't know about me." He paused. "But that's all in the past." He propped himself up on his elbow and leaned down to kiss Saul. "Now it's you and me, and nobody else is going to get in the way.

**

They rented a car the next morning and drove to Lycia, tucked in the Olympian Mountains. Saul liked the drive; it was a nice change to get to see scenery, to sit in the passenger seat while Bill drove. 

It gave him an optimistic image of what their marriage might be like. He wasn't sure they'd be perfect, but he had an idea that they could be happy.

"I'll drop you in the village," Bill said, as they drove through it. It was a tiny place, just one main street, unpaved, and at this time in the late afternoon, almost everywhere was closed. Saul scanned the businesses for something that looked interesting.

"I don't mind coming with you," he said. "No place looks open."

Bill frowned. "Okay." He looked like he was on the verge of suggesting Saul wait in the car, but he just gripped the steering wheel a little tighter and drove out of town.

Bill's family home was on top of a hill, at the end of a winding road. The property was enclosed by a high wall, which was what Saul noticed first and he didn't realize it was surrounding the house until they arrived at the gate.

Bill stopped the car and got out. There was an intercom on the gate and he stood in a way so that he was blocking the car. "It's me," he said. Saul heard the lock click instantly and Bill pulled the gate open. Then, he got back in the car, pulled in and went to close the gate.

"What's with the security?" Saul asked.

"This is an old house," Bill said, which wasn't a good answer. They pulled up the gravel driveway; already, Saul could see people appearing at the entrance. Bill stopped the car.

"They may not like you," Bill said. "It's not personal."

"Is it because I'm not Tauron?" 

Bill made a face. "Maybe." He took a deep breath and swung himself out of the car. "Let's get this over with."

Saul had not been invited to get out of the car, so he didn't. It wasn't because he was being particularly deferential—no, it was because he could read the set of Bill's shoulders and he could tell that if this didn't go just right, his new husband would be storming back to the car and they'd be peeling out of there.

Saul took that time to study the house. It was an old-fashioned Tauron-style house, one story, but sprawling and enormous, with a crest over the entrance. The crest was simply a running wolf and Saul found it oddly transfixing. 

Bill approached a man about their age, with thick brown hair. He had his arms crossed over his chest and looked aloof. Bill glowered at him.

Saul had no idea what they were saying, but they seemed to be agitated. The others who'd come to the door slunk back inside. 

Finally, Bill's relative whom he'd been arguing with gave a sniff and gestured to the car. Bill glanced over his shoulder at Saul, then gestured to him. Saul got out of the car.

Instantly, Bill's cousin recoiled. "Gods, Bill, how can you stand the smell?"

Bill grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him into the doorjamb. "You watch yourself, Tom. Don't forget your position."

"Bill," said a sharp voice. Everyone turned.

An elderly man with a cane came into the entrance. "Could everyone else please leave us?"

Instantly, everyone but Bill, Saul and Tom disappeared. Bill let Tom go.

"Uncle Sam," Tom said quickly, ducking his head.

Bill remained still and silent. Saul moved toward him slowly, not liking the way standing apart called attention to himself.

Uncle Sam reached out and took one of Saul's hands. "You must be my new nephew," he said. "I'm Sam Adama."

"Saul Tigh." Saul shook hands, smiling. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Behind them, Tom was pacing, hands in his pockets, looking agitated. Bill's eyes were following him. Saul still had no idea what was going on, but he was inclined to believe Bill when he said his family was crazy.

"It's nice to meet you," Sam said. 

"You, too, sir."

Sam turned to the other man there. "Tom, will you get us something to drink? We'll be in my study."

Tom hesitated, throwing one last dirty look at Bill, then nodded. "Yes, Uncle Sam." 

Bill and Saul followed Sam into the house. It reminded Saul of houses he'd seen in old gangster movies, all sliding doors, plush carpets and wood panels. 

"I'm looking forward to getting to speak with you, Saul," Sam said. The more he saw of him, the more he thought he looked like Bill, with his dark hair and the cut of his jaw. 

Bill and Saul sat across from Sam's desk; Bill poured three drinks.

"I was surprised to hear you'd gotten married," Sam said. "Tell me how you two met."

Saul relaxed, though he could see Bill didn't. "We met on the job," he said.

"Job?" Sam asked. 

Saul cut his eyes quickly to Bill. Did his uncle not even know what he did?

Bill took a sip of his drink. "We worked on a freighter."

"A freighter," Sam said. 

"I've spent most of the last five years in space," Bill said. Sam's eyes widened at that. 

"So you haven't—" 

"No, I haven't," Bill said, firmly. "And that's all I'll say."

Saul felt annoyance bubble up, but he knew better than to call Bill out in front of the uncle with whom he clearly had a contentious relationship. 

Sam didn't look satisfied by this, but he didn't say anything else about that. "So, Saul," he said. "Tell me about yourself."

It was hard to keep it going when Bill didn't say a word, but Saul managed to say a bit about himself—Sam didn't react to his statement that he was from Aerilon, which was a good thing, at least. He asked questions, made little comments—all very polite and composed—and Saul found himself enjoying talking to the older man.

There was something wrong, though, he could tell. 

Finally, Sam said, "Saul, could you excuse us for a few moments?" 

Saul glanced at Bill. "I'll go," he said.

"I'm sorry." Bill looked sympathetic. "Why don't you have a seat on the porch?"

Saul leaned over to kiss Bill before he went. 

**

As soon as the door shut and Saul's footsteps retreated down the hallway, Sam turned to Bill, a serious look on his face.

"Does he know?"

"No."

Sam gave him a faint smile. "Can I ask when you were planning to tell him?"

"I wasn't."

"Is that wise?"

Bill pushed his glasses up. "We were living in space. We're going to Rhea. I'll never need to."

"Yes, and what happens next? If you spend your life with this man, will you never live on one of the Twelve Worlds? How will you explain to him that you can't live anywhere with a moon?" 

"I was hoping he wouldn't notice."

Sam laughed. "Bill, you can't bank on that. He's your husband. Hopefully, you'll spend your life with him. You can't keep this a secret from him. It's too much a part of your identity. It is who you are. What happens if he discovers this when you're fifty? Sixty? How would he feel when he discovers you've been lying to him for twenty, thirty years?"

Bill frowned, knowing he was right. "But how can I tell him?"

Sam smirked. "That's generally why we don't associate with humans."

“I couldn’t stay after CarolAnne.”

“I know. But you didn’t have to marry one of them. You’ve always had some funny ideas.”

“Neither of us was happy with an arranged marriage,” Bill protested.

Sam leaned forward. “You needed to give it time, my son. Your uncle Larry and I had an arranged marriage and we’re very happy.” 

Bill sighed. "I know. I tried. And it’s done now, Saul and I are married." Compulsively, he reached over and rubbed the tattoo on his right forearm, Saul’s name in Tauron. "I love him." 

"And that's good," Sam said gently. "But you need to introduce him to the family." He paused. "Next week will be the best time for your inkday. Stick around a few days. Remind yourself what family life is like. Let Saul see what we're like."

Bill nodded reluctantly, contemplating his glass. “I wasn’t going to get a tattoo.”

Sam’s eyes widened. “Bill, you have to. I would even say you owe it to your husband to make this marriage as auspicious as possible, based on how it’s started. I see you wear his name, but a tattoo you got in some grimy parlor on Leonis isn’t enough, especially not after you failed to complete the ritual with CarolAnne.”

Bill bristled. How had Sam guessed about the grimy tattoo parlor on Leonis? Even though he'd been sure in his conviction that he was never coming back home, it had been hard to go in there and be inked by a non-Tauron with modern equipment, to have to write out the letters for them himself. 

"Don't worry about how he'll take it," Sam told him. "Tell him with the confidence of _knowing_ he'll accept you."

Bill didn't feel very confident, but he nodded. "Okay. I'll try."


	2. Chapter 2

Saul had been sitting on the porch for several minutes when the door opened. 

"You're Bill's new husband?" 

Saul turned. Another cousin? She looked like she was about sixteen. "I'm Cally," she said. "Tom said you were here."

Saul sighed, annoyed that he was being gawked at by Bill's family like he was some kind of curiosity. "I'm Saul." 

Cally sat down next to him. "Listen, don't let Tom get to you. I think he's just annoyed Bill's back. I think he thought he might be Uncle Sam's… um, heir… if Bill never came back."

Saul wanted nothing more than to grill his new husband about what the frak was going on with his family when the door opened again. 

"Hey, sorry I took so long." Saul relaxed to see Bill standing there. 

"Are you leaving already?" Cally asked, looking disappointed. 

Bill dropped down on her other side and ruffled her hair. "Not quite yet, Cal. Uncle Sam wants us to stay for my Inkday."

"Inkday?" Saul asked. 

"Yeah." Bill looked awkward. "I'm gonna get a tattoo. To symbolize our marriage."

"Okay." Saul was intimately familiar with all of Bill's tattoos, but he didn't know the significance of most of them. "How long are we staying?"

"A week tops. I want to be out of here by…" Bill paused. "I want to be out of here by the eighteenth."

"What's on the eighteenth?" Saul said. Cally started to answer, but Bill gave her a look. They seemed to be having a conversation without speaking, and Saul was already getting frustrated.

"Let's get our stuff inside," Bill said. He pushed himself off the porch and headed for the car. He popped the trunk, grabbed both of their suitcases and went back inside. Saul had no choice but to follow him. 

Bill's bedroom was at the back of the house, overlooking the woods. It was small, but it had a double bed, which was better than they'd had on the freighter. 

Bill set their suitcases down and sat on the bed. Saul sat next to him and slipped his arms around him. "What's wrong, Bill? Something's bothering you."

Bill's arm went around Saul's shoulders, drawing him close. He pressed a kiss to his hair and then said, "I'm sorry, Saul. I didn't meant to drag you into this. These people…" He sighed. "I'm beginning to remember why I left."

"Why?" Saul took his hand. "They seem nice enough." 

"You just need to know…" Bill took a deep breath. "You need to know what we are. This is a very… rigid family. You don't break tradition, you don't break with the family. I screwed all that up when I divorced CarolAnne, when I left and… when I married you."

Saul felt his stomach drop. He'd picked up on the tension, but he didn't realize it was that bad, that Bill's family outright disapproved of the marriage. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because." He sighed. "I didn't want you to know. I didn't want them to control my life even after I'd left." 

"I never wanted to pry," Saul said, "but now that we're married, Bill, I think you'd better tell me."

"You're right." Bill rested his forehead against Saul's. "Gods, I love you. You deserve to know everything." He stood up slowly, stretching. "It's a long story."

"I have time."

"Okay." Bill took a deep breath, then stripped off his T-shirt. Saul had seen him shirtless many times, but he wondered why he was doing this now. Bill turned, showing Saul the tattoo spanning his back, the running wolf. Saul suddenly remembered the wolf above the door of the house. He knew he'd seen it before.

"Is it a family crest or something?" he asked. 

"You could say that." Bill pulled out the desk chair, turned it backwards and sat. "It's been the symbol of our clan since we left Kobol."

"Wow," Saul said. "You can really trace your ancestry back that far?" 

Bill ran a hand through his hair. "That's not so unusual for people like us… because of what we are." He paused. "Frak, you won't believe me. This is going to sound ridiculous to you." 

"Try me."

"We're werewolves."

Saul hadn't been expecting that. He'd sort of suspected Bill's family might be Ha'la'tha, but he definitely wasn't expecting this. 

"You don't believe me."

"No," Saul said slowly. "It's not that…"

"I admit it's hard to accept.” Bill ran his hand through his hair, revealing the tattoo behind his ear. Saul knew it was from his first marriage and that upon his divorce, it had had to be covered up, which was why now it was a simple black square. “That’s why we tend to marry within the pack… or arrange marriages with rival ones.”

“Is that what yours was? Arranged?” 

“Yeah. My family came from Tauron in the last couple generations. Had some turf wars with the native Capricans… CarolAnne and I were supposed to patch that all up.”

“I guess it didn’t?”

Bill smirked. “War’s back on.” 

“So what does that mean for us?”

“It means we get out of here next week, we go to Rhea. Like we planned. Before the full moon.” 

The full moon. Saul flopped back on to the bed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you wouldn’t believe me.” Bill got out of his chair and lay down next to him. “We were in space. No moon. I arranged my liberties around the moon. I thought you’d never have to know.” 

Saul turned his head to face him. "Seriously? You thought you could get away with this? I didn't want to stay on Rhea my whole life. I wanted _kids_. At least, I mean, I wanted to _decide_ if I wanted kids. I wanted to retire home to Aerilon."

"Saul, I'm sorry." For the first time, Bill looked truly worried. He sat up. "Forgive me? I promise we'll work something out."

Saul pushed himself up. "I'll consider it." He kissed Bill quickly, tempting him down onto the bed. "No reason we can't have kids on Rhea, right? I hear it's nicer than it used to be." 

"Mm." Bill kissed him. "Or Hibernia. I'd consider Hibernia." 

Saul ran his hands over Bill's back, skimming the wolf tattoo. "You gonna turn me into a werewolf?" 

Bill laughed into his neck. "That's a bad movie. It doesn’t work like that in real life." 

"Oh?" Saul cupped Bill's face in his hands. "I was kind of hoping you'd _claim_ me." 

Bill's grin was exactly what could be called wolfish. "I can still do that." 

**

Bill felt much better by the time dinner rolled around and a quick frak hadn't hurt. Uncle Sam smiled at him when he and Saul entered the dining room—he supposed it was a good sign that Saul was still here and that they smelled like sex. 

Tom gave him a disapproving scowl and went to sit next to a man Bill didn't recognize. Had he married? Bill sniffed the air. He'd noticed that Tom smelled funny, but he hadn't known he'd married. 

"C'mon," he said, pushing Saul's shoulder lightly, guiding him toward the head of the table. Bill positioned Saul so he was between himself and Larry. Larry smiled at Saul and introduced himself. Bill looked up so that he was eye-to-eye with Tom.

"You're still here," Tom said. It wasn't a question. 

"I'm still here." 

"And so is Saul," Tom added, pointedly reading the name off Bill's arm. 

Bill scowled. "You knew his name. You were introduced." 

"I know, but it's nice to have the reminder." 

Bill jumped to his feet, startling Saul who'd been engaged in conversation with Larry, and Cally who was sitting on his other side. 

"Temper, temper." Tom remained sitting, irritatingly calm. 

"You shut up," Bill snarled. Saul jumped to his feet. 

"What is _wrong_ with you, Bill?" he hissed. 

Bill cut his eyes to Saul. He was reminded of all the times he'd had to calm Saul down when his temper got the best of him. It was like that in space—Bill didn't feel the pull of the moon so much.

But down here, this close to that time of the month, in the same house with all the rest of them… He sighed and sat back down. 

"Now, then," Sam said. "As I'm sure you all know by now, our prodigal son has returned to us." 

There was a smattering of applause and Bill surveyed the long table, to see who was there.

Everybody. Really everybody. Sam must have called in all the outlying branches, even from out by Caprica City. 

They'd all come to gawp, probably. At the werewolf who'd gotten divorced, had brought back a human.

Under the table, Saul laid his hand over Bill's. Thank Apollo for him. 

"We're so glad Bill has come back to us." Uncle Sam was smiling and Bill couldn't help but let go of a little bit of his anger. This was the man who'd raised him after his parents' deaths at the teeth of the Capricans. "In my old age, I've missed him deeply and it's nice to see him again." He smiled, eyes crinkling. "I'm glad my whole family is back together."

Bill scowled. "Tom said you were sick." 

Sam smiled and reached for his chopsticks. "A little white lie." 

Sam's starting to eat was the signal for the rest of the family to dig in. Bill remained still. 

"You told him to lie?" he said.

"Bill, I needed to see you. This had gone on for far too long. Plus." Sam paused. "This war with the Capricans was partly your fault, so you should be the one helping out."

Bill sighed. Saul squeezed his shoulder. "What does he mean by war?"

"It's a business thing," Bill said.

"And what kind of business is that?" Bill hated how calm Saul was, just eating his dinner, making conversation. Like he didn't know. 

"Did Bill not tell you?" Sam said calmly. "We're Ha'la'tha." 

"You're Ha'la'tha, _too_?" Saul hissed at Bill.

"The Ha'la'tha is traditionally based in wolf packs." Bill slurped his noodles. "At the head of any Ha'la'tha branch, there's a werewolf." 

"I see." Bill wasn't quite sure what to make of Saul's comments, but he didn't push. 

Instead, he just let himself relax and enjoy the evening. It was nice to be around family for the first time in five years. There were new spouses (like Tom's Meier) and new babies (like Cally's new little brother Will, named for the same William Bill had been). He caught Saul's eye while he was holding Will and got a small smile in return. 

Maybe kids wouldn't be so bad after all. 

But holding little Will just made Bill miss his boys all the more. Zak had been just a baby when he'd last seen him, and Lee not much older. He hadn't even seen pictures, didn't even know if they were all right. Could he just start over? 

He looked up again, but Saul was gone. 

**

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Saul asked, stepping into Sam's study.

"Yes, Saul, sit down, please." Sam waved him into a seat. "Drink?" 

"Yes, please." Saul was eager to have something to release the tension. 

"I wanted to speak with you privately," Sam said. "I wanted to get an idea of some of your background." 

"My background?" 

"I know you and Bill met working on a tramp freighter." Sam stroked his chin. "But I'd like to know a little bit more of your history. What kind of experience you have."

The hairs on the back of Saul's neck rose. This felt more like a job interview than a chat with his new uncle-in-law. "I'm a mechanic," he said. "Ship's mechanic, auto mechanic, I've worked on planes—some military experience. And I've done some security work." 

"What kind?" 

"Night watchman, that kind of thing." His palms were sweaty and he wasn't sure he liked where this was leading.

"Do you have a criminal record, son?"

Saul swallowed hard. "Got in a lot of trouble as a kid. Four years in the Fleet took care of that, though. No record. Judge's orders." 

Sam nodded. "That's good. Why didn't you stay in the military?" 

"My time was up. I wanted to see the worlds. I spent the next five years traveling, then I wound up on _Sedulana_ where I met Bill." 

Sam nodded. "What about your family?"

Saul bit his lip. "They're all gone. Mom died in a mining accident when I was twelve. Dad went while I was in the service." 

"I'm sorry to hear that." 

Saul shrugged. "It's okay. I was glad to get out of the house." He paused, not sure how much detail he wanted to go into. "It's nice to be here, see a loving family." 

"You two should stay as long as you like," Sam said. "I know Bill keeps saying you have plans, but if _you_ want to stay, you tell him that. Go into town tomorrow and have a look around. Do some shopping, get a haircut. Take the day."

"That sounds nice." 

Sam reached into his desk. "Well, if you're going to do that, I could use a favor."

**

Bill was sitting on the back porch, his bare feet hanging off the ledge. It was nice to be home. He didn't really want to think that, but it _was_ nice. It wasn't quite summer yet and the breeze at night was still cool. 

Something cold pressed into the back of his neck. 

Bill jumped.

"Thought I'd find you out here." Laura handed him the beer and dropped down next to him. 

"Laura!" He hugged her tight. 

She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then sat back and opened her own beer. "I can't wait to meet your new man." 

Bill grinned. "You're gonna love him."

She squeezed his hand. "I'm so glad you're back, Billy." 

"Me too. Where were you at dinner?" 

She sighed. "Work stuff."

"What kind of work stuff?" 

Laura shook her hair back from her face. "Need to figure out a new route from the city. Capricans are watching us like hawks. I just got back."

"You were down there?"

She nodded. "Bringing in this shipment myself. Holobands." She grinned. "Vergis is paying us triple their market value." 

"For black market holobands?"

"For the chips." She shrugged. "Anyway, Vergis has guys who can be in Delos by the end of the month. We'll need to get them down there then."

"Well, Saul and I'll be long gone by then. We're heading out to Rhea after my Inkday."

Laura frowned. "You're not even staying for the moon?" 

Bill shook his head. "I'll keep in touch this time, if you want, but I can't stay."

Laura looked skeptical. "Bill, you can't deny who you are." 

He hunched his shoulders. "Yes, I can." 

She reached out to rub his back. "I don't know how I put up with you and Tom."

"We're practically littermates." Bill smiled. "That's a bond for life." 

"Mm." She squeezed his arm. "I really have missed you, Bill. You have a stabilizing effect on the pack. We need you." 

"That's just why I can't stay… I can't let them take over my life again. I'm going to do it right this time… I love Saul. I want to focus on _him_." 

"I can tell," she said softly, glancing at his arm. "Is it that you really want to go to Rhea or are you trying to find something you think Saul will like?" 

Bill took a long swig of beer. "I don't know. When I left, I had no idea what I wanted. All I knew was that it had to be in space… living here, you don't know anything but this life. I got to see the _worlds_ , Laura." 

"There's nothing wrong with wandering for a bit, Bill. As long as you come back." 

"That's easy for you to say," he said softly. "You've never left." 

**

Bill was reading in bed when Saul came into their room.

"Where have you been?"

"Talking to your uncle." Saul put a stack of envelopes on the shelf by the door. "He's nice. Suggested I take a trip into town tomorrow, and I said I'd run a few errands for him."

"You know what that is, right?"

"Of course I do, Bill, I'm not stupid." Saul unbuttoned his shirt. "But I'm part of the family now. It's the least I can do."

Bill sighed. "Well, I'm going with you."

"Why?" Saul tossed his pants next to his shirt on the floor. "I'm a big boy. I can run a few numbers by myself."

"It's not that," Bill began, then he remembered. "Frak, I said I'd walk the perimeter with Tom. I'll be back by ten, okay? Don't go until then."

Saul kissed him. "Good night, honey."

The next morning, Saul left for town at eight. A two-hour head start on Bill's wrath was better than nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been so long since Bill had walked the perimeter, he was having some trouble keeping up with Tom. Not that he would ever admit it.

"So," Tom said, as they stepped over a fallen tree. "What's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Not changing."

"It's like the rest of the month all the time." Bill kicked a rock and watched it skitter down the hill. "That was a stupid question."

"I just can't believe you didn't change." Tom visibly shuddered. "You had all the buildup, right? And none of the release?"

Bill shrugged. "The buildup got better once my body clock got off the Caprican cycle. I still got the hair, but being in space helped with the moodiness." He paused. "I'll say it was bad when I took liberty some place that was about to have a full moon. I'd be fine on the ship and then wham. I felt the wolf."

"I don't know how you couldn't let it take you."

"I was tempted once." Bill sniffed a tree. All Adama scents. Good. "But I was always in port cities. Nowhere to run. Unfriendly territory, too. The dock rats on Gemenon are wolves, some of them. I always gave them a wide berth."

Tom leaned down to examine the fence, testing it for holes. "And what's it like being with a human?"

Bill snorted. "Not too much different than being with a wolf. I don't tell him how good my hearing and sense of smell are."

Tom grinned. "You're missing some things, though. Hubby's name the only new ink you got?"

"Yeah." Bill ran a hand through his hair. "Got it on Leonis." 

Tom blew out a breath. "You need something else, then. Thought about what?"

"Not really."

"You going to turn him?"

Bill stopped in his tracks. "Of course not."

Tom shrugged, continuing on down the hill, away from Bill. "At least I'm really married. The legal stuff... That's for humans. What really matters is that Meier's my mate."

Bill threw himself at Tom, knocking him off his feet and sending them both rolling down the hill.

"You don't like it," Tom crowed, as they grappled for dominance. "She was your wife but she wasn't your mate." He shoved Bill off him, but Bill lunged for him again. "Your parents, my parents, Sam and Larry, Karl and Sharon, Maggie and Hamish – they're all mates. A wolf needs a mate, Bill."

Bill shoved Tom aside and sat down against a tree. "I can't turn him, Tom."

Tom made no move to get him. "I could turn him if you're squeamish. I'd be gentle."

"I don't mean that... I just don't want to turn his life upside down. It wouldn't be natural for him. No werewolf has turned a human in hundreds of years."

Tom got up and sat next to him. "This isn't natural for you, either, Bill. You're denying who you are."

"I thought you wanted me gone. Didn't you have designs on next alpha?"

Tom smirked. "I want to fight you for it, brother."

Deep inside himself, Bill felt the wolf's ears prick. 

Tom clapped a hand on Bill's shoulder and stood. "When you get your marriage ink you should let Sam band your arm. Make amends." 

"Maybe." 

"I'd just hate the idea that we can't spar." 

"We can spar any time." Bill got up and started walking back to the house with Tom. "I'll even go barehand with you."

"No, no." Tom shook his head. "As a _wolf_." 

Bill let out a short bark of laughter. "That would require sticking around." As they entered the house, he began looking around for Saul. 

"Have you seen Saul?" he asked Laura. . 

"He went into town a few hours ago," she said. "Not long after you and Tom left."

Damn him. Bill turned on his heel. "I'm taking your truck."

**

Saul was in Al's chair, enjoying a hot shave when he heard the door to the barbershop open.

"Got an early start," said a familiar voice. 

"I didn't want to bother you," Saul said. 

Bill came closer so Saul could see him. "I told you to _wait_." 

"Can I assume you're next, Bill?" Al interrupted. 

Bill ran his hand through his hair, which Saul knew he wouldn't part with. "No. Just came to collect him." 

"Well, it's good to see you again," Al went on. "You brought a very nice boy home." 

"You deliver the package?" Bill asked, sitting down in the other chair.

"Yeah, this was my last stop." 

"Okay, then we're going home and I'm going to have a chat with Sam."

Saul sighed. "That's not necessary, Bill." 

"I'm glad you're home, Bill," Al said, moving so that he blocked Saul's view of his angry husband. "You'll be a good help to your uncle. Tom and Laura work hard but they can't do it alone."

Were they _all_ werewolves? Saul wondered. Everybody in this sweet little town? 

No, Saul thought. Al sounded more like a businessman in a Ha'la'tha-owned town. 

Bill said nothing. 

His shave finished, Al sat Saul up and brushed the stray hairs off his shoulders. "He's all yours now, Bill. What do you think?" 

Bill grinned. "He'll do, Al. C'mon." He grabbed Saul's hand.

"Hang on," Saul said. "How much do I owe you?" 

"It's on the house," Al said. "Just let me know if you'll be a regular customer." 

"I certainly hope so."

Bill said nothing, but his face made his feelings obvious as they left the shop. 

"What do you say to some lunch, Bill? What's a good place?"

Bill ran his fingers through his hair, looking like it was taking all he had to keep his composure. 

"Why are you doing this anyway?" Saul asked. "I can make my own choices, Bill. Your uncle asked for a favor and because I happen to like him, I did it."

Bill took Saul's hand. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm not planning to get hurt." Saul drew Bill's hand up to his lips and kissed his knuckles. "Little odd things here and there… I'm not going to get hurt."

Bill looked skeptical. "I know. But… you're human. You just seem so… fragile to me." 

Saul sniffed indignantly. "My species has done pretty well considering."

"I know." Bill kissed him and ruffled his hair. "Can I win points back by telling you how sexy your new haircut is?" 

"You can try."

**

Bill tried to put that little incident from his mind and make the most of the time he _had_ to spend in Lycia. He took Saul fishing in the river and they went for long walks on the Adama compound.

"You sure have a lot of space here," Saul said.

"It's for the full moon. We need room to run."

"That sounds nice." Saul linked his arm with Bill's. "You sure you won't turn me into a werewolf?"

Bill bristled. "It doesn't work like that." He didn't really like telling a lie, but there was no way Saul could tell he was lying, right? 

"I know, you said." Saul grinned. "I was only teasing." 

They walked in silence for a while, Bill simply enjoying the spring breeze, the sun-dappled leaves, the time with his husband. 

Saul was the next to speak. 

"So, your ceremony's on Wednesday?" 

"Yeah." 

"And when are we leaving?" 

"I was thinking Thursday morning. I'm going to try and get us on a flight for Monday. That way we'll have time over the weekend to go to the storage place and see what we want to pack up and send ahead." 

"Mmhm." Saul paused. "You know, Bill, don't you think we ought to stay a little longer?" 

"Did Sam put you up to this?" 

" _No_." Saul looked annoyed. "I happen to like your family, Bill. I don't see what's so bad about them…" 

"Because you haven't spent time with—" 

"Well, then maybe I should," Saul exploded. "You know what kind of family I had Bill? My mom was hardly ever home and my dad would whack me around when he wasn't down the pub. Your family may not be perfect, Bill, but I do get the impression that they love you. Ha'la'tha, werewolves or not, I'd take that any day over what I got."

Bill took a step back. He had had no idea Saul felt that way and he suddenly felt guilty for taking his family for granted, being annoyed by them. "I'm sorry, Saul."

"I know." Saul crossed his arms and looked away. "Just promise me, Bill… Promise me… If we have kids, don't let me frak them up. Like my parents frakked me up."

"Oh, Saul." Bill came over and wrapped his arms around him, drawing his husband's head onto his shoulder. "You would never frak up our kids. You'd be a good dad." He rubbed his back. "We'll talk about this later." He paused. "And we'll stay a while. Maybe another month or so." They were already missing their honeymoon and what was pushing back the start of their Rhea contract? They already owned the house, so that wasn't a problem.

He'd just have to figure out how to deal with the full moon with Saul around.

**

"That was a beautiful ceremony, Bill," Saul said, leaning into his shoulder as they swayed to the music. 

"Mm." Bill tightened his grip on Saul. 

"Though I guess it's old hat to you by now." Saul kissed him. "Does it hurt?"

"Nah." Bill touched the bandage that covered his new marriage tattoo, just an inch or two below his old, blacked-out one. "Used to it."

"Does it hurt more than a modern tattoo?" 

"A little." He just had the one non-Tauron tattoo, and he'd found the electric needle very off-putting while getting it, though the quality was good. 

"Should I get one?" 

Bill blinked. Saul had one tattoo, a crescent moon on his upper arm, symbolizing his dedication to Artemis, but that was pretty mainstream and he'd gotten it when they'd gone together on Leonis. But he wasn't sure how it would be for him with Tauron ink. Bill was used to the stares, the snubs, the loss of the job offer because his neck and hands were tattooed. He didn't want that for Saul if it wasn't necessary.

"You boys got a minute?" Laura appeared next to them. "It's about the drop on Thursday."

Bill kept dancing with Saul. "What drop?" He was glad for her appearance, as he wouldn’t have to answer Saul's question. 

"The holobands." She bit her lip. "Helena's pack dropped out. We need some more bodies." 

"Sure," Saul said, spinning Bill in time to the music. "We can do it."

Bill scowled. Hand it to Saul to volunteer them both without asking Bill.

"That's great," Laura went on, "because we could really use somebody with some Aerilon heritage… because that's who we're dealing with for this. I thought we were handing them over to Vergis directly, but it's going to be the Aerilons who run the stuff over to Tauron." 

"The Aerilons?" Bill stopped dancing. "Why can't we keep it in-house?" 

Laura shrugged. "Vergis has worked with them before. He trusts them." 

Bill looked at Saul. "You okay with this?"

"Of course." He turned to Laura. "What do I need to do?" 

**

The exchange was to be made in a strip of deserted road outside Delos. Saul and Laura came in the truck, but, Bill, Tom and a bunch of others waited just behind the tree line.

"Are these guys werewolves?" Saul asked, before they got out of the truck.

Laura grinned. "Nope. You can relax. Act natural and if they start speaking Aerilon, eavesdrop." 

They got out of the truck and approached the waiting men.

"Who's your friend, Roslin?" 

Laura reached over to shake the man's hand. "This is my brother-in-law, Saul Tigh. Bill's husband. Saul, this is Jack Fisk." 

Fisk raised an eyebrow as he went to shake Saul's hand. "Tigh? You Aerilon?"

"Grew up there," Saul said. "Haven't been back." 

"And you married old Bill?" 

"Yeah." Saul glanced at Laura, silently begging her to step in.

"We have the goods in the back of the truck," Laura said. "Your guys going to unload it."

"Yeah, yeah." Fisk waved his guys over. "So, you married Bill, huh? Never thought he was coming home." 

Saul shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, well. I guess I just have that kind of pull over him." 

Fisk smirked. "I suppose you do."

"Are we done here?" Laura asked. 

"Yeah, yeah." Fisk clapped them both on the shoulder, then signaled to his men. "We'll keep in touch."

"I'm sure we will." Laura smiled thinly. 

"What was that about?" Bill said, coming down from his hiding space as soon as the Aerilons were gone. 

"Fisk being Fisk." Laura opened the door to the truck and pulled herself in. "Don't pay him any mind, Saul." 

Saul got in on his side. "Don't worry, I won't." 

**

Bill found that any irritation he felt over Saul's encounter with the Aerilons evaporated as the full moon approached. He had enough to worry about. 

He first tried to convince Saul to leave once more, but that proposal was rejected immediately. 

"It's not dangerous or anything, is it?" Saul said, toweling off his hair after his bath. "I can see, can't I?" 

"I don't know." Bill flopped back on the bed. "It'll freak you out." 

Saul lay down beside him. "I promise I won't go running for the villagers with pitchforks."

Bill sighed. "I just have a bad feeling about this." 

"It's not like you're going to attack me, though, is it?" 

"Of course not. Never." Bill wrapped his arms around Saul and pulled him close. "You know me."

"Yeah, I do. Worrywart." He kissed Bill's nose. "It'll work out, I promise." 

**

Bill stood in the clearing with the others, unable to stop himself from throwing glances back at the house. The kitchen light was on, Saul cleaning up from dinner. He'd be safe in there. Bill turned back to the others.

"You ready?" Tom asked. "I mean, we could lock ourselves in the cellar. Have him chain us up, maybe."

"Shut up," Bill said. 

"Boys," Sam said mildly, just as he had throughout their childhoods and even now, it had the ability to quiet them both down instantly. 

At that moment, the moon broke through the clouds and Bill felt that exhilarating moment right before the change. He'd tried to explain it to Saul, but he'd been doing it once a month for his entire life. He _couldn't_ explain it.

His front paws came first, nails turning to claws as his fingers fused. Then his ears—it wasn't always logical. His tail sprouted next and then the rest of the change came quicker. Had it really been five years?

Bill shook himself and blinked. He had forgotten how good this felt. He glanced around at his pack. The wolf's pack. He wanted to run, he had to run. Bill threw his head back and howled. The rest of them joined in, their harmonies rising toward the moon. 

Tom caught Bill's eye. _Let's run, brother._


	4. Chapter 4

Saul almost dropped the plate he'd been drying when he heard the first howl. They really were werewolves. He went to the window, hoping to catch a glimpse, but he couldn't see anything. He was dying to know what Bill looked like as a wolf, but he also knew it seemed really important to Bill that he stay inside. 

With a sigh, he padded into the living room. Well, at least he'd get to watch whatever he wanted to on TV for a change.

**

The pack ran until they were exhausted. Bill had missed this, he really had. He collapsed on the grass, panting. Tom was on him instantly, wanting to fight, wanting to play. It was just like they were pups again. Bill didn't know how he'd gone all this time without this. He'd missed his family, his _pack_. 

He felt another pang over the loss of his pups and howled again, the wolf's pain.

He didn't even need to say anything for Tom and Laura to understand—they howled, too, and the rest of them took up the call. Tom let Bill take the lead as they started running again, this time along the fence. 

Bill let the scents flow into him, painting a clear picture of each pack member, plus Saul. 

_Saul_. 

The wolf wanted him. The wolf needed a mate.

Bill felt himself start to turn toward the house. He imagined sinking his fangs into Saul's soft skin, making him his…

 _No_. Bill's paws skidded to a stop. 

After five years, it was hard to keep control of the wolf but he had to. 

With great effort, he turned himself and joined the rest of his pack.

Then, he noticed the unfamiliar smell. 

**

Saul had sort of been looking forward to having an evening alone, but now that they were all gone, it was boring. While it was nice to watch what he wanted on TV, he missed being able to curl up with Bill as they watched the kids fight over what to watch. 

He turned the pyramid game on and tucked a cushion behind his back to simulate Bill's chest—he'd gotten quite used to having that support. 

He was drifting off during halftime when he heard a scratching at the door. Was that Bill? Or one of the others? 

He got up, chuckling to himself, imagining the wolf scratching at the door. "Okay, okay, I'm coming," he said, stepping into the entrance and undoing the latch. When he opened the door, he paused a moment, staring at the enormous gray wolf. 

"Bill?" he asked. 

Then, the wolf lunged at him. 

Saul scrambled out of the doorway, his foot catching on a throw rug. He landed hard on his back, the wolf on top of him. Then, something big and black slammed into the wolf, knocking it down the hall. 

Saul scrambled to his feet and pressed himself against the wall, watching as the two enormous wolves tussled. Was the black one Bill? 

The gray wolf drew first blood, scratching the black one across the jaw, but the black one lunged again, snapping its huge fangs. Saul backed down the hallway, watching as the black wolf gained the upper hand, taking the fight out of the house. 

He didn't know how long he stood there before he realized he should lock himself in. He was about to close the door when he saw it limp toward him, blue eyes full of concern.

 _Bill_. 

In the distance, Saul could hear howls and yelps—the pack driving the intruder out. Saul dropped to his knees. "Bill?"

The wolf nodded. Saul hadn't realized its size before and he opened his arms, letting Bill step docilely into his embrace. 

"You're hurt," he said. 

Bill couldn't talk back, obviously, but he nuzzled at Saul's cheek. 

"Do you want me to do something?" Saul asked. 

The wolf shook its huge shaggy head and nipped at Saul's sleeve. Saul took that as an admonishment to get up and bar the door. That done, Bill loped into the living room. Saul followed. The TV was still on, the Panthers getting pounded. Bill jumped up onto the couch and turned around once, then laid his head on his paws, giving Saul a look that said plainly, "Sit down." 

"Okay, okay." Saul sighed. "After that, I guess you're not leaving my side, huh?" 

Bill's response was to lick Saul's fingers.

Saul scratched him behind the ears. "I appreciate that."

Bill wagged his tail. 

Saul was glad to have Bill with him all night. He followed him into the kitchen and waited patiently outside the bath, then into the bedroom, where he hopped up on the bed after Saul had gotten comfortable, turned around and lay his head on Saul's chest.

"Thanks for this, Bill," Saul said, pillowing his hands behind his head. He wasn't sure if he should hug Bill or anything—he was a wolf, for gods' sakes. He patted his head and Bill licked his hand. "'Night." 

**

As soon as Saul had fallen asleep, Bill got up and went back outside. One sniff told him that the stranger was gone. Tom came up on the porch. 

They didn't know the intruder. He and Tom didn't even need to speak to know that. They would talk about it in the morning, do something about it later.

Tom sat down by the door. _Go back in. I'll stand guard out here._

Bill looked back out at the woods where the rest of their pack was running, the incident forgotten. _Thanks, brother._

 __**

Saul woke the next morning, Bill's head still on his chest. Bill's human head.

"Hey," he said. 

Bill blinked blearily. "Hey." He was still curled up like a wolf would be and he sat up quickly, stretching out his limbs without even a hint of stiffness. "How you doing?" 

"Don't be worried about me. I'm more worried about you." He pointed at Bill's face, where the scratch was.

Bill put his hand to it. "This was nothing." He got off the bed. "I'm going to hit the shower. I doubt you want much more of me until I stop smelling like the woods. Then we can talk about last night." 

**

Saul had been hoping that if they had to talk about it, it wouldn't be around the breakfast table with most of Bill's family. 

"We have no idea who that was, right?" Tom asked, looking around at everyone, as though someone was hiding a secret. He was idly playing with his pocket knife. 

There was a murmur of assent from around the table.

"Could they be Caprican?" Laura asked.

"Didn't _smell_ Caprican," Tom insisted. "We should know Caprican smells." 

"Aerilon?" Bill suggested. 

"The Aerilons we dealt with weren't wolves." Laura tucked her hair behind her ear. "I don't know how they could have made the connection."

"But there _are_ Aerilon wolves." 

"And why would they care about him?" Meier jerked his thumb at Saul. 

Bill bristled. 

"Boys," Sam said. "Let's worry about our security issue first." 

Saul was always amazed at how Sam could calmly get his family's attention. 

"Right." Tom turned his knife over in his hand. "Whoever it was must've been watching us, they must've found out the security code. From now on, no code. We have somebody here at all times and we let people in manually." 

"We can do that," Sam said. 

"And he doesn't go out at all," Bill said, jerking his thumb at Saul.

Saul spun on him. "Oh, that's ridiculous, Bill. I have to work. I have to help out." 

"No, you don't." 

Saul leaned in close. "Bill, I am a part of this family. I may not be a werewolf, but I'm still one of you. I can help out with business."

Bill ran a hand through his hair. "Okay. But you're with somebody, or you're armed, got that?" 

Saul sat back and blew out a sigh. "Yes, dear." 

**

After the next two nights were quiet, the atmosphere of tension in the house seemed to evaporate and as the days wore on, the memory of the attack faded from Saul's mind. He still thought Bill was overprotective, but he knew quite well he could take care of himself. 

He and Bill also talked less about leaving. Saul knew they had to do something about the contract—either show up or take a pass on it—by the end of next month. He didn't want to say anything to Bill, though, because he wasn't sure what Bill was going to say.

Did he still want to leave? 

They both seemed to be falling into a routine here. The Ha'la'tha work was a full-time job and Laura seemed glad to have the help, especially Saul, who had spent more time working elsewhere than any of them had. He had done some security work and his military experience helped, too. 

Was there still any reason for them to leave?

**

The light was just beginning to creep in their bedroom window as Bill watched Saul sleep. Saul had stumbled in late the night before after a long run to Caprica City and back and Bill was coming to the rapid conclusion that they weren't going to Rhea. Bill had underestimated his husband's ability to adjust to this life and he realized now that he shouldn't have. 

Still, there was something Saul needed to know if he was going to be a part of this family. 

He needed the truth about everything. 

Saul stirred and blinked awake. "Hey," he said. "I wake you last night?"

"No. I just can't sleep." He kissed Saul. 

"Anything you want to talk about?" Of course. He got it.

"Yeah," Bill said, snuggling in next to him. "I need to tell you about my boys."

"What about them?" 

"Where they are. Why CarolAnne and I split up." 

"I'm listening." 

"First, you need to know that wolves don't just marry. Wolves marry now, we have to for legal reasons. But really, we mate." 

"Okay." Saul didn't ask what implications that had for their marriage and Bill was glad. He wasn't ready to explain it all yet. 

"Tom and Meier, Sam and Larry, Cally's parents… everyone, they've all mated. CarolAnne and I never did. We were an arranged marriage like most of them, but I just couldn't do it. She and I wouldn't connect. It wouldn't _work_." 

"How could it not work?" 

Bill sighed. "I wish I could explain it. But we never connected, so I don't even know how it feels when it works." He smoothed Saul's hair. "So we never mated, and then we got divorced."

"But you had kids."

Bill laughed. "Mating isn't the same as sex. It's deeper. Like I said, I've never felt it." He kissed him. "And I'm _glad_ it didn't work with CarolAnne because then I'd never have met you. And I love you. So much." 

"But I'm not a wolf." 

"That's right." Bill pressed his thumb to Saul's cheek. "You're not a wolf." He paused. "I can't lie to you anymore, Saul. I could turn you if I wanted to. But I can't do that to you." 

"Why not?" Saul sat up. "Bill, I _said_ —"

"But you don't _know_ ," Bill said forcefully. "And I just won't do it."

Saul looked annoyed, but he didn't push. "Okay. I'm sorry. What about your kids?"

Bill closed his eyes. "When CarolAnne left, she took the boys. Her pack had the greater need of pups and she was their mother. I fought it, I knew that place was nowhere to raise pups. I know their alpha, Thorne, and he's _cruel_. Drives 'em hard. I can only imagine the life my boys have. I wanted to tell you that so you'd know, Saul. I can't start over. We can't adopt outside the pack."

Saul was silent. Then, he said softly, "Is there any way you can get them back?"

Bill sighed. "I don't know. If there is, I won't find it by leaving again." 

Saul frowned and skimmed his hand over Bill's chest. He knew what all his tattoos meant now—commitment to the pack, the Ha'la'tha, to Saul, and to his pups. "Then we won't leave. We'll stay." 

Bill sat up. "You sure about that?" 

Saul nodded. "I love you, Bill. I want to be with you, that's all. Here, on Rhea, doesn't make any difference to me. It's clear to me, though, that you need your family, you need your pack and you need your pups. I'm still learning about your life, but I'm willing to learn, make it my family, my life." 

Bill took his hand. "Gods, I love you." 

**

He told Sam the next day. He was surprised at how easy it came, saying that he wasn't leaving. They were staying. 

It felt weird, to say it, but since he'd been home, he'd realized how much he needed his family. 

Sam was happy to hear the news, too. 

"I'm so glad, son," he murmured, squeezing Bill's hands. "I can now confidently state that you are my heir. 

Bill felt his heart swell. He'd always rejected the designation before, but he was proud to bear it now. _Beta_. 

**

Things changed for Saul now, too. Whenever they went out on business, people knew who he was. They weren't werewolves, Laura assured him, but they still knew Sam was the Guatrau, Bill was his second, and that Saul was Bill's husband. 

It felt good. 

He didn't mean to get ahead of himself, but it was hard not to develop a bit of a swagger. There was good money in holobands and even though it wasn't all strictly legal, it made him feel like he was in a movie. 

Bill seemed happier, too. They had a nice bunch of cash from selling back the Rhea house, and while they'd had to pay to break the employment contracts, he'd suggested that maybe after the next full moon they could take a vacation.

Two days before the full moon, Bill and Saul were lingering over coffee after breakfast when Laura came into the dining room. 

"You," she said, dropping down into the seat across from them. "I need you." 

Saul pointed at himself. "Me?"

"He's taken," Bill said. 

Laura rolled her eyes. "Not like that. For work. The Gemenese want to pay us in Viper parts. Military surplus. I thought if I took Saul with me to the drop, he could see if it was good stuff or not." 

Saul shrugged. "Sure, I can do that." 

Bill drained his cup. "We'll all go. Where is it?" 

"Shipyard. Tomorrow night. Cutting it close, I know, but when you're dealing with humans you can't beg off because it's that time of the month." 

Bill nodded. "Okay. We'll be ready." 

**

"These them?" Saul squinted into the darkness. The shipyard was vacant of workers at night and lit only by a few light poles and without Laura's good night vision, he couldn't see anything but dark forms by a shipping container. 

"Yeah." She opened the driver's side door of the truck and got out. "Let's go."

Saul fell into step beside her and tried to make it look like he knew what he was doing. 

"Roslin. You're late." Gage bounced on the balls of his feet, hands in his jacket pockets. "We're on kind of a tight schedule here." 

"Sorry." Laura tossed her hair. "We had to get away from the cops. There's a speed trap back on the Arcadia." 

"Who's that you have with you?" 

"My brother-in-law." Saul gave him half a salute. "He's going to look over your merchandise. He was a Fleet deckhand; he knows his way around Viper parts." 

"Suit yourself." Gage waved his guys over to open up the crate. "Why don't you have your guys start unloading the holobands?"

Laura turned to wave the rest of their men out of their cars and Saul hauled himself into the shipping crate, accepting the flashlight Gage handed him. 

It was tedious work, opening crates, examining product. It all seemed to be in good condition. 

Saul looked up when he heard footsteps behind him. "This looks good. Why don't we get this on our truck? You guys got a good source? We'll take—" 

He didn't even see the flashlight to his head coming.


	5. Chapter 5

Bill was waiting by the truck, smoking a cigarette, one eye on the trailer Saul was in.

"How long does that take?" Tom asked.

"A long time, I guess." Laura rested her hand on her hip. "He wants to check everything. That's Saul. He's thorough." 

Bill was about to say something when the trailer doors slammed shut and the truck started. 

"What the frak?" Tom muttered, but Bill had already pulled out his gun and was running toward the Gemenese. 

Laura and Tom dropped down next to him and began firing at the speeding truck. The other Gemenese dropped behind some crates and began returning fire. A bullet whizzed by Bill's ear, but he didn't stop running flat-out after the truck. He couldn't stop now. It was almost the full moon and the wolf was almost in control. The wolf was chasing its mate.

Another van screamed by him and he fell.

"Bill! Bill!" Laura was at his side. "Are you hit?"

"No, I'm fine." He sat up. 

"We'll find him," she said. "We got one of them." She pointed to where Tom and Karl were dragging one of the Gemenese back to their truck. "We'll get what we can out of him." 

**

Bill was sitting at the kitchen table, head in his hands, when Tom came in. "Can't get anything out of him." He dropped a kiss to the top of Meier's head. "He's all yours, honey." 

Meier stood. "Don't worry," he said to Bill. "We'll find him." He took his knife out of his belt and left. Bill heard the side door open and close as Meier headed out to the shed where they were keeping their prisoner. 

Laura put a sympathetic hand on Bill's back. "We _will_ find him, Bill."

"Had to be Capricans," Tom said. "They hired the Gemenese just like they hired that lone wolf who came after him last moon."

"But what do they want with him?" Bill felt his voice quaver. "Why could they possibly want to hurt him?" 

Laura sighed. "I don't know. They want to hurt all of us. They don't care who it is." 

Bill shoved his chair back. "You think Meier needs any help?" 

"I don't think that's a good idea, brother," Tom said. "You need to stay here." 

There was a scream from the shed.

"He knows what he's doing," Laura said soothingly, urging Bill to sit back down. "And when we find out definitively, we will go after them. Together." 

Bill tangled his fingers in his hair and closed his eyes.

**

Saul came to in a stone cell. 

"Like a frakking Virgon castle," he muttered. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked around. There was nothing else in the cell but a bucket and it was barely wide enough to lie down in.

He stood, cursing as his knees creaked. 

"You awake in there, two-legs?" The door opened and a man came in. He was bald, shorter than Saul, with a mean look to him. 

"You calling me two-legs?" Saul braced himself against the wall. "What do you walk on most of the month?" He wasn't surprised these guys were werewolves. He'd kind of expected it.

The werewolf grabbed Saul and slammed him into the wall. "You watch yourself, two-legs. You may have wormed yourself into the Adama pack, but that's not working on us." 

"Who are you anyway?"

"Alistair Thorne. True Caprican. Seems like your husband used to be married to my sister." 

Saul's eyes widened. So that was who had taken him. 

"What do you care, then? What did I do to you?"

Thorne laughed. "It's not about _you_ , two-legs. It's about your husband." 

Saul's stomach dropped. 

"Here he goes, leaving our sister in the dust and he goes and brings back a sweet human. He hasn't turned you yet. Is he planning to? Waiting for the right moment to sink his teeth in?"

"He said he wouldn't," Saul said firmly.

"Then that's all the more perfect." Thorne had an unsettlingly hungry look in his eyes. "He'll come for you—that's what I'm planning on. And by the time he gets here, it'll be too late. I don't know when I'll have more fun with you—before the moon or after." 

Thorne nipped at Saul's neck and Saul punched him. Thorne stumbled back, swearing and clutching his bleeding nose. "That'll be the last thing you regret, two legs." 

Saul spat. "Yeah, well, frak you, too." 

That got him a kick in the face.

"You sit tight," Thorne said. "I'll be back to finish playing with you later." 

**

Bill was pacing. He didn't know what to do to occupy himself besides pacing. The Capricans had Saul. They had Saul. His mate. He should have made him his mate. 

"We'll find him, Bill." Laura came up beside him and began rubbing his neck. 

"I'll kill all of them," Bill muttered. "I'll tear them up; I'll—" 

"Shh," Laura murmured soothingly. "Be careful, Bill. You don't want to do something you'll regret." 

"I know, I know." He forked a hand through his hair. "But godsdammit, I just hate that he's not here."

"I know." She hugged him. "We'll get him back." 

Bill smelled Tom approach. "We have a location," he said. Bill turned. Behind Tom, he could see Meier wiping his hands on a bloody rag and Bill felt a sudden warmth toward the new brother-in-law he'd barely spoken to. 

"We'll tell Uncle Sam," Meier said. "And then we'll plan the attack." 

**

There was no way out. The cell was solid stone, probably several feet thick. The bars were heavy and he certainly wouldn't be able to fit through them. He tried pacing in the small space, but that just made him dizzy, so he sat down, back pressed against the cool stone. Down here you would never know it was summer.

He'd completely lost track of time. What day was it? Was the full moon tonight? When was Thorne coming back? 

He hadn't even realized he'd dozed off until he was awakened by clanging and crying. Startled, he jumped to his feet. Someone was being locked in the cell next door.

"Uncle Alistair, I won't do it again, _promise_!" 

Saul frowned. That sounded like a kid. 

"I don't want to hear excuses. I want to see results. Do you want your brother to get ahead of you?" 

Saul heard only a whimper. 

"You can stay here until you have an answer for me." 

Saul shrank back when he heard Thorne's footsteps. He paused in front of Saul's cell. 

"You're lucky today, Tigh. My nephews take up enough of my time that we didn't get to play." He paused and licked his lips. "Tonight, though." 

Saul remained silent, not shuddering until Thorne was out of sight. 

As soon as he heard the footsteps fade, he flipped the (unused, thank the gods) bucket upside down and stood on it. Just stretching on his tiptoes, he could see through the air vent, into the next cell.

There was a small boy in there, of no older than six, sitting in the corner, tracing his finger between the stones.

"Hey," Saul whispered. "Are you Zak?" 

The boy looked startled until he found where the voice was coming from. "How do you know my name?"

"I'm—I'm a friend of your dad's." 

Zak's face lit up. "My _dad_? My real dad? He remembers me?"

Saul felt his heart twist. "Yeah, he remembers you. You and your brother."

Zak got up and came closer. "Can you tell me about him?"

"Sure, sure. I just want you to tell me some more about your uncle." 

"He's not very nice," Zak said.

"No, he is not," Saul agreed. "Do you think he'll come back soon?"

Zak shook his head. "Not when he's punishing me. I'm supposed to think about what I did."

"What did you do?"

"Wouldn't fight dirty. Uncle Alistair wants us to, but I won't! It's wrong and Lee says so too. Our daddy would say so."

Saul nodded. "I think so. Who are you fighting?"

"Other pups." Zak paused. "You smell funny. Are you some two-legs whore?"

Saul jerked back in surprise. "What?"

"Mommy said Daddy was shacked up with some two-legs whore." He stumbled over the unfamiliar words, clearly not getting the meaning. "And then Uncle Alistair said he'd take him and make him his first? Is that what happened to you?"

"Not if I can help it," Saul muttered.

"So are you Daddy's mate?" Zak leaned as high as he could, sniffing. "I don't remember his smell."

"Do you want to see Daddy?"

"Yeah! Lee says we'll go see daddy one day so we don't have to fight when we're big."

"When you're big?"

Zak nodded. "Uncle Alistair says that's how _pure_ Capricans do it. When he steps down as alpha, I have to fight Lee to see who's next alpha." Zak's face crumpled. "I don't want to die. I don't want Lee to die."

"What? You're not gonna die..."

"I am. We have to _fight_." Zak said this as though any fool would know it was a fight to the death. Damn. Making kids fight to the death. Bill said the pack was too hard on their pups. 

"I'll get you guys out," Saul heard himself say. "I'll get out of here and we'll all go back to Daddy together."

"Really?"

Saul nodded. "We just need your brother."

**

Lee walked, very carefully balancing the bowl of water on the tray. He knew he wasn't supposed to be doing this but he hated leaving Zak in a cell alone during the full moon. He still cried when he changed and while Lee couldn't be with him for that, the least he could do was bring him a drink, which he wouldn't otherwise get until morning.

As he neared the cell he heard happy chatter.

"…we like to go running and play hide and sniff… Do you play hide and sniff?"

"No, I'm afraid my nose ain't good enough for that"

Zak giggled. "I'd sniff you out fast!"

"I'm sure you would."

"Who's that?" Lee asked.

"Lee!" Zak jumped up. "This is Saul! He's Daddy's mate!"

Lee set the water down and ran to the next cell. "Holy Artemis. It's a human. Are you really Daddy's mate?" 

"Not mate," the man said. "Husband."

Lee nodded. So his father had married a human. That explained why he'd never come back. "What are you doing here?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Saul crossed his arms over his chest. "Your uncle seems to have a plan for me."

Lee paled. "Oh gods. He's going to turn you."

"That's it?" Saul didn't look overly concerned. Didn't he know anything?

Lee nodded, his stomach churning. He didn't know if this man could be trusted, if he could get them back to Dad, but this was a chance he'd have to take, human or not. "If he turns you, you're bound to him. Alphas and betas can do that, bind the ones they turn."

Saul stood, brushing off his jeans. So he was pretending not to be concerned for Zak's benefit. "Then I have to get out of here. Will you help me? I want to get back to your dad and I'll take you with me."

"Promise?" Lee knew he shouldn't get his hopes up, but it was so hard not to… 

"Swear on my eye teeth." Saul grinned. His eye teeth were much smaller than Lee's would be in a few minutes, but at least he talked like a wolf. 

"Okay." Lee pushed the bowl of water through the hole in the bottom of Zak's cell door. "What do you need me to do?" 

**

Saul paced in his cell as he waited for Lee to come back with the key. He hoped they were timing this right. They'd broken his watch, so even though he knew when moonrise was (Bill had made him memorize it), he didn't know what time it was now. 

He just hoped Lee was able to get into the office, grab the key and get back before he changed. 

"Saul?" 

Lee was there, jamming the key between the bars. "It's coming," he said, breathing hard. "Can you really do this yourself with all the rest of them out there?"

"I'll have to try." Saul took the key from him and Lee stumbled back, the change already beginning. He moved right to Zak's cell, reaching for his brother. He needed to get those kids back to their dad, he thought, as he heard Zak whimper. 

With some minor contortions, Saul got his own cell unlocked, then went for Zak's. As soon as the pup's door was open, he leapt at Saul, tail wagging and licked his hand. 

Saul scratched him behind the ears. "No time to play now, kid. We gotta go." 

He looked one way down the hall, then the other. He'd been unconscious when he'd been brought in, so he didn't know which was the right way. He looked down at Lee. "Can you get out of here?" 

Lee looked thoughtful, then nosed at Saul's knee, indicating they should go left. 

Saul led the way.

**

They assembled a few miles from the Capricans' perimeter, just before moonrise.

"Everyone's here," Tom said, crouching next to Bill. "We brought in Helena's group for this, and Meier's family."

Bill nodded. "Tell them thank you. Hopefully, we'll never have to do this again." 

He squinted through the gathering darkness. In a few minutes, he'd be able to see across the river effortlessly. Now, though, his sight was limited. His boys were over there. Saul was over there. He'd get all three of them back. 

The clouds shifted and the moonlight hit the spot where his pack was waiting. Bill felt the change begin. 

The wolf was ready.

**

Saul thought, if anything, he probably had an advantage over the werewolves. He had opposable thumbs.

That thought was the only thing that could calm him down as he, Lee and Zak ran through the hallways, looking for a way out. He could always turn a doorknob and they'd be safe. Nothing was going to happen to these kids. 

"We have to get out of here," he said. "Lee, what door is going to be the furthest from where they probably are?"

The pup paused, clearly struggling with his wolfish instincts.

"C'mon, kid," Saul muttered and then Lee sniffed the air and trotted off. Good. 

He followed, keeping a hand on Zak's back. He was more worried about the younger one getting distracted. Lee seemed more mature, to have a handle on things more, but Zak looked like he wanted to go play hide-and-sniff with the other pups. 

"When we get home, we'll all play together," Saul said. "You kids can sniff me out whenever you want and we can play all kinds of games. I'll teach you to cheat at triad. And pyramid, you like pyramid? I can't play hide-and-sniff or chase, but I can play pyramid." 

They'd reached the kitchen while he was rambling and he crossed over to the door. He opened the storm door and pressed his ear to the screen. Nothing. 

"You hear anything?" he asked Lee. "Smell anything?" 

Lee shook his head and Saul opened the screen door. Good. They were near the road. They just had to get over the chain-link fence. 

"Can you jump that?" Saul asked. 

Lee took a few steps back and ran for it. At the last moment, he took a flying leap and barely cleared the fence. 

"Okay, your turn," he said to Zak. 

Zak backed up, looking unsure. "You can do it, kiddo, come on," Saul said. He glanced over his shoulder. He could hear the pack in the distance, but he didn't know where they were. 

Zak took a run for the fence, but then skidded to a stop, whining. 

The howling seemed to be getting closer. Saul wondered if he could lift Zak. He didn't seem to be any heavier than he was as a human six-year-old. He knelt and wrapped his arms around Zak's legs. 

"I'm going to lift you over," he said. He could hear the pack getting closer; they'd picked up his and the boys' scents by now, but he'd be damned if he wasn't getting those kids out of there. 

On the other side of the fence, Lee was clawing and whining, throwing glances at the wolves Saul knew were bearing down on them. 

He staggered over to the fence, Zak in his arms, braced himself against it, pushing as high as he could reach. Zak scrambled over and dropped to the other side. Saul jumped up and skimmed the top of the fence, slicing his palm open.

"Frak." He tried again, grabbing the top crossbar and swinging himself up. He was nearly over when something slammed into his dangling leg. A big white wolf. Thorne. Saul landed hard on his back on the wrong side of the fence. There was no time to try again. He scrambled to his feet and ran. 

**

Bill could smell Saul and the boys, as well as CarolAnne's scent and those of her vaguely-familiar family members. They were getting close. Crossing the river had dulled his scent somewhat, but Bill was still on his husband's trail. He tore up the embankment, his pack behind him. He could practically _see_ where Saul was, in a corner of the property, on the other side of the fence. Without a word, he indicated that Tom and Laura should follow him, the others heading around the other way. 

Bill was almost to the fence when he saw two small, gray blurs hurtle toward him. He stopped. 

Lee? Zak? 

The pups nearly collided with him and Bill could sense distress immediately. Zak seemed wary, but Lee licked Bill's muzzle.

 _Saul_. 

That was all he needed to hear. Saul was still on the other side of the fence. 

He took off, running faster than he'd ever run before. He had to get to his mate. He had to get to his mate. 

**

Saul knew it was stupid to run. He should have tried to kick off the wolves, scale the fence, but at least they hadn't been able to leap over the fence and get at Lee and Zak. Maybe the boys would get away. 

Thorne slammed into Saul's back, knocking him off his feet. He landed on his front and rolled. He wanted to play with his food, did he? 

Well, Saul could play back.

"Are you gonna bite me or not?" Saul said. He dodged a swipe of Thorne's paws. "Or are you just gonna frak around?" 

Thorne growled and lunged at him, but Saul scrambled away. He wasn't sure how long he could keep this up, or if he even had any possibility of escape. He was just prolonging the inevitable. If he didn't kill him, Thorne would bite him and then Saul would be bound to him, if Lee was right. 

He didn't want to think about what that meant. 

**

Bill could see them. Thorne was chasing Saul, had him on the ground now. Time seemed to slow down. Thorne was snapping at Saul's throat and Saul was doing his best to get away, but it wasn't enough. The wolf was stronger and Saul was tired. 

There wasn't time for hesitation. Bill made his decision. 

_I'm sorry_ , he thought, as his jaws closed over Saul's foot.


	6. Chapter 6

Saul woke to the sound of voices. 

"Is he in there?" 

"He's _asleep_."

"Well, when's he gonna wake up?" 

"Hey, guys. Let's let him rest, okay? I'll come talk to you later." 

The door opened. Saul opened his eyes and groaned.

"You awake?" 

"Yeah." Saul pushed himself into a sitting position with some difficult. The sunlight that shone through their bedroom window indicated it was well past noon. "How long was I out?" 

Bill smiled grimly. "A day and a half." 

"Oh, gods." Saul rubbed his face. There was a substantial growth of beard there, though he supposed it made sense for two days without shaving. His foot was still bandaged; the pain didn't seem to come until he noticed it. 

"How much do you remember?" Bill pulled the desk chair over to Saul and sat down. 

Saul rubbed his chin. This would distract him until he had a chance to shave. "Thorne knocked me off the fence. He got me down…" A chill ran down Saul's spine. "He didn't...? And what about the boys?"

"The boys are fine." Bill laid his hands flat on his knees. "They're in the next room. I told them they could see you when you were feeling better, but I didn't think you'd be up to kids climbing all over you." 

Saul smiled. "Maybe not yet. So is it done? Are they… are they staying with us?" 

Bill gave his hand a squeeze. "They're staying with us. Lee told me everything that was going on. I can't thank you enough, Saul, for bringing them back to me." He took his husband's hand.

"And Thorne really didn't bite me?"

"That's right." Bill rubbed his upper lip. "I did."

"You what?" Saul pulled back. It all fell into place. His injured foot. He rubbed his face again. Yes, this was like two days' worth of what Bill had to deal with, and Bill shaved twice a day around the moon. 

He skimmed his palm across the thicker coating of hair on his arm. "So I'm a werewolf," he said dully.

Bill's face fell. "Saul, I am so sorry. I will do absolutely _anything_ to make it up to you. Whatever you want is yours. I decided to start with new sneakers, but… Laura's ordering them," he finished weakly. "Saul, it was that, or let Thorne bite you first and if Thorne bit you, I'd never see you again." 

"Is that true, then, what Lee said? That I'd be _his_?" Saul still wasn't sure what that meant.

"Yes." 

"So, am I _yours_ now?"

Bill scratched the back of his neck. "Technically, yes. I turned you. You're my mate. We're… bonded. It takes a day or so to set, but eventually, you should be able to… feel me. And I'll feel you." He took Saul's hand. "I promise I'll let you be your own man. I won't abuse the extent of the bond. Some alphas or betas do that, make their mates do what they want, but I would never do that. We're just bonded because I bit you. And I bit you because I couldn't let you go. I love you." 

Saul squeezed Bill's hand. "I love you, too. I just have to say I'm not exactly _wild_ about being… bound to you. Not that I don't love you. Gods know I'm crazy about you. It's just… what do you mean by _feel_?"

Bill ran a hand through his hair. "It's complicated. And I've never experienced it. But a bite like that makes a mate-bond. And a mate-bond is soul-deep."

Maybe it was his imagination, but something about that hit Saul in a funny way. He looked up at Bill. He was anxious about this, wasn't he? Saul put a hand on his knee. "No matter what, though, I love you. We'll work this out."

Bill nodded, though he didn't seem convinced. "Yeah."

**

Bill was lingering over dessert with Tom and the boys when he heard the dining room door open. 

It was Saul. 

"What are you doing up?" Bill asked. 

Saul pushed off from the wall and slowly made his way to his seat. "Figured it wasn't fair to you for me to laze around all day." He paused. "Plus, I smelled ice cream." 

Bill laughed, instantly relieved. He still couldn't shake the sense that Saul was mad at him for causing his present condition and his levity meant a lot. "Well, you definitely rate a sundae." He grabbed a bowl, grateful for something to do and scooped ice cream in it. 

"What do you want on your ice cream, Saul?" Zak piped up. "I like sprinkles and chocolate sauce." 

"Then I'll have that, too." Saul sat down and accepted the bowl from Bill. "Did Laura and Meier just leave?" 

"Yeah," Bill said. "They went to work. You can smell them?" 

Saul nodded. "It's coming gradually. I was picking up traces here and there. Like I'm sure the scent in our room is you." Bill sensed a mix of nerves and resignation coming from him and he hoped that Saul's wolf senses hadn't entirely settled in yet. He didn't want to send the emotions he probably didn't realize he was having into a feedback loop. 

"Yeah, it's me." Bill squeezed his husband's hand. "How do you feel?" 

"I feel fine. Foot's the only thing stopping me from running six miles."

Tom laughed. "I see you're getting your stamina." 

"Is that what this is?" Saul shook the can of whipped cream and gave his ice cream a liberal squirt. "Am I really like you guys now or is there anything you just have to be born with?"

Bill and Tom exchanged glances. "As far as I know you're just like us," Tom said. 

Saul frowned. "So… I'm accepted? I don't have to do anything?"

"There'll be a ceremony," Tom said. "But you were always accepted, brother."

Bill felt relief wash over him and as he watched Saul dig into his sundae, he thought that maybe not all those feelings had come from within.

**

As the full moon approached, however, Saul's nerves began to mount and he could tell Bill could sense it, too.

Damned link. 

"You'll do fine, Saul," Bill murmured, as they got ready to go out.

"That's easy for you to say. You've been doing this all your life."

Bill pulled on an old T-shirt. "You didn't have to do the ritual."

"Then we'll do it together." Saul took his hand.

He was still nervous, of course, but he could feel the effect of the moon, too, and it gave him energy. (It was doing wonders for their sex life, too.) 

He could do this.

Lee and Zak met them in the clearing. Zak hugged Saul around the legs. "I'm glad you're a wolf now," he said, smiling. 

If Saul had still had any apprehension, it evaporated immediately. He dropped to his knee and put his hands on Zak's shoulders. "I am, too," he said. 

Zak beamed at him and Saul hugged him. He'd gone so quickly from not wanting kids to having two that he'd barely had time to process it. Zak and Lee had spent the past month coming out of their shells, getting to know Saul and their father. 

Saul stood and took Zak's hand, Bill and Lee on his other side. "Let's go." 

The whole family was gathered around the chair in the middle of the clearing. Tom was going through his inks and needles and Saul felt a knot form in his stomach. Bill squeezed his hand. This felt right. He would wear a symbol of their marriage just like Bill did. He felt love flow through their link and took his seat. 

Bill took up his position next to Tom and handed him the needle. Saul closed his eyes. 

"Relax, brother," Tom murmured and put his hand on the top of Saul's head. "It'll hurt, but we've all done it." 

Saul took a deep breath and felt a small hand slide into his. Zak. He smiled as the needle bit into his skin. He concentrated on breathing evenly, even through the pain. 

The big part would be after the ceremony. 

The change. 

That distracted him enough that he almost forgot all about the tattoo. The change would be the hardest part. Bill had talked the least about the change, on the premise that he didn't know how to explain such a natural process. Could Saul explain sneezing?

His heart began to pound. 

"Keep still," Tom muttered. "This won't take much longer." 

"You will finish before moonrise, right?" 

"If you stop distracting me." 

It was disconcerting to have Tom so close to his ear, but the design wasn't complicated and it was over quicker than his other tattoo, since it was just a single thin line. Tom cleaned it off and bandaged it. 

"The transformation won't bother it," he said. "Welcome to the pack." 

Saul felt himself relax. The patch behind his ear still stung, but his mind was already miles ahead on to the impending change and somehow, his body seemed to be adjusting to it.

He wasn't nervous. 

He'd spent the whole day a bundle of nerves, but he wasn't nervous now. He looked over at Bill, who gave him a reassuring smile and came over to slip an arm around his shoulder. "Just breathe through it," he said. "I don't think it hurts, but it might feel strange if you're not used to it." 

Saul nodded. The rest of the pack was beginning to gather around them. The boys stayed close to Bill and Saul. 

Sam looked at Saul with clear eyes. "Do you accept the responsibilities of being a member of this pack?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Do you accept the responsibilities of being a mate to our beta and a parent to his pups?"

"Yes, sir." 

"You wear the Mark of Lycaon and you are one of us." Sam put his hands on Saul's shoulders and kissed his forehead. "Let the wolf take you, my son." 

Almost as if he'd now gotten permission, Saul felt something inside him change. Bill gave him a quick kiss. "Good luck, babe." 

The boys were excited, starting to jump up and down. Saul was about to say something to them when the clouds parted and it began.

He had never seen Bill change, so his only frame of reference was still bad horror movies. He wasn't sure what form the change would take—something gradual? He glanced over and saw Bill, who was starting to get hairier. Much haireier. 

Saul looked down at his own hands. His _fingers_. They were gradually melding together into a wolf's paw. He screwed his eyes shut. Maybe he could get through this without having to see it. 

It was surprisingly, though, how much it didn't hurt. He had been expecting pain. TV werewolves always looked like they were in incredible amounts of pain. This felt smooth, like swimming. The only truly odd sensation was his tail and when he opened his eyes to look at it, he realized he was on all fours, completely transformed. 

He swished his tail. His _tail_! Where had it been all his life? It was magnificent, if he did say so himself. He hadn't put much thought into what color wolf he might be, but he wasn't surprised to see he was a sort of tawny color, a few shades darker than his hair. 

He pawed at the ground, glancing around at the others, at his pack.

 _You okay?_ Bill cocked his head, flicking his ears.

Saul moved toward his mate and nuzzled him. _I'm fine_. 

_Let's play!_ Zak leapt at him, licking his face. _I want to play!_

Bill gave him a gentle nip. _It's Saul's moon. Let him lead._

Saul hadn't expected that, but it was true. They were all looking at him. He turned his head to the woods, flicked his ears. 

And then, he howled. He hadn't meant to howl, it just exploded out of his throat. When the pack took it up, it raised the hairs on his back. 

This was what he was now. He was a wolf.

And the wolf wanted to run.


End file.
